Episode 073:

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Kyle – Miter video, finishing the table, made another chaos vase, went to Maker Faire.

Sean – Finish on the mantle

Brian –

Main Topic – In over your head.

Guest Question:

AJ DeSantis – How do you teach yourself furniture making? Classes, workshops, reading, etc.?Follow AJ on Instagram, Twitter, and check out his website.

Listener Questions, Email, and Comments:

David Boardman – Hey guys!

First, love the show, I listen to and from my trips to the lumber yard and hardware store every week!

The freshest thing in my mind to write about was the episode I listened to today which was the Q&A episode. Someone asked about insurance and since I just went through that process I thought I would let you in on what I have now. I just moved my shop out of my basement and into a commercial building after working full time out of my basement for a year and part time for two more. While in the basement I did not carry any insurance on the shop other than homeowners. I contacted my insurance provider about getting a policy and while they did offer it it wasn’t necessary if all you were interested in was full lose. This means if say your shop caught on fire and burned your whole home down, the tools would be covered under the umbrella of the amount you had your home insured for. All I ended up doing was buying extra coverage for my home to cover the added cost of the tools.

Now the coverage for my new shop. I called around and got a couple quotes but I ended up using Farmers (which is funny as you guys made the farmers slogan sound in the podcast). They are basically acting as a broker as the actual insurance is through someone else. The policy I ended up with covers my tools (100k) overkill, the building (100k), faulty building (500k), and myself (100k). The policy runs $100 a month, which I thought was very reasonable. The faulty building was a huge bonus as it covers me if I build something and it causes damage to others or their home.

Also to what Haunmade was talking about with the wait list. I get that all the time. I have 12 week wait, I lose at least one sell a week because of that wait. I used to just try and fit people who needed things sooner into the mix but what I found is the people who are in a huge rush don’t appreciate handmade, they are likely just trying to find a style they like cheaper than what they could find elsewhere (like pottery barn and such). I honestly don’t mind now just saying I’m sorry that’s my wait it is what it is. I like having a wait list as that is my job security knowing I have 12 weeks to find more work if it slowed. So what it really boils down to is this, there are two kinds of people it’s better NOT to do business with, people in a rush and people on a tight budget, both will expect more than what they are paying for let the weekend warriors and the Facebook builders build their furniture..

keep up the awesome-sause you guys are putting out!

David

Richard Miller – Hey, gang — love the show!

I live in humid central Florida. A relative who lives in super-dry Las Vegas wants a cutting board. I’m concerned that it’s going to self-destruct when I send it there.

I thought about putting it in the oven for a while before oiling it, but I’m not sure that’s such a hot idea (no pun intended).

Any recommendations?

Thanks,

Richard in Florida

PS: I thought about writing you guys a sonnet as an iTunes review like I did for the Wood Talk guys, but I don’t want Kyle to hate me.

Mike – Hey guys I love the podcast. I am one of few people, at least I assume, listening to the podcast who is not a woodworker, at least not yet. I work for a major insurance carrier and asked around to get some opinions relating to the insurance question you got last week. In the purest and simplest terms Sean is correct, if you run a business out of your home your home owners insurance would not cover equipment, products, or materials associated with your business in the event of a claim. However, there is a fine line between a “hobby” and a “business”. For people like Brian and Kyle they would definitely want business insurance as this is a full time job. Anyone who has filed their business with the state should consider adding business coverage as well. If it is such a small amount that you aren’t claiming the income on your taxes then it’s probably not something to worry about. If you have a claim maybe avoid telling the adjuster about your business or business income, remember it’s a hobby. And as any insurance/safety nerd will tell you, you should verify this with an insurance broker in your area who is familiar with this type of business. Keep the great shows coming.

Mike

iTunes Reviews

ScooterRon – Great Podcast – 5 stars – Great podcast with awesome information. Keep up the good work.

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